Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2013, 3, 706-709 OJOG http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojog.2013.39130 Published Online November 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojog/ ) Terminal fertility control: Clients’ own reason for the choice of the contraceptive method Daniel Adebode Adekanle, Adeola Folashade Afolabi, Adewale Samson Adeyemi * Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Nige- ria Email: waleadeyemi2004@gmail.com , * asadeyemi@lautech.edu.ng , * ourgodreigns2004@yahoo.co.uk Received 30 October 2013; revised 20 November 2013; accepted 26 November 2013 Copyright © 2013 Daniel Adebode Adekanle et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT Background: The prevalence of contraceptive use has increased worldwide due to the development and in- troduction of modern contraceptives and the estab- lishment of organized family planning programs. In Nigeria, there is a very slow rise in contraceptive use prevalence, resulting in high fertility rate. Generally contraceptive is either used for birth spacing, or for the purpose of terminal fertility control to limit the number of children, and the choice of method for this purpose varies. Aims and Objectives: To determine the contraceptive methods of choice among clients seeking terminal fertility control, and their reasons for the choice of such methods. Materials and Meth- ods: A cross-sectional study of clients attending the family planning clinic of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching hospital over a period of twenty-four months, between July, 2009 and June, 2011. All clients who had completed their family, and wanted a contraceptive method to limit their family size filled the semi-structured questionnaire after giving their informed consent. Clients’ own reasons for the choice of the particular contraceptive method were grouped, entered into SPSS work sheet, and analyzed using SPSS version 17. Result: There were five hundred and ninety-two new contraceptive me- thod acceptors during the study period, of which 264 (44.6%) were for terminal fertility control. Progesto- gen-only injectable contraceptive was the method of choice for terminal fertility control by 145 (54.9%) of the clients, while 85 (32.2%) made intrauterine con- traceptive device (copper-T) their method of choice, and the least chosen method was female surgical ster- ilization (2, 0.8%). Ease of administration, satisfac- tion with previous use, long duration of action, and husband’s preference were the reasons for the choice of the methods. Conclusion: There is awareness of terminal fertility control in Nigeria, especially in the southwestern region of the country, and this may be responsible for the decreasing prevalence of grand- multiparity in the region. However, reversible con- traceptive method is the preferred option for this purpose. Keywords: Terminal Fertility Control; Method Choice; Reasons 1. INTRODUCTION The prevalence of contraceptive use has increased world- wide due to the development and introduction of modern contraceptives and the establishment of organized family planning programs [1]. The contraceptive prevalence rate in many developing countries rose from 9% in 1960 to 60% in 1997 [1], and this has helped reduce the total fertility rate of some developing countries from 6.0 in 1960 to 3.1 in 1997 [2,3]. However in Nigeria, there is a very slow rise in contraceptive use prevalence. The pro- portion of Nigerian women of reproductive age using modern contraceptive methods rose from 3% in 1990 to 8% in 2003 [2]; this low contraceptive use in Nigeria results in high fertility rate. In the urban centers of Nige- ria, many women are tending towards small family size so as to enable the family to provide better education for the children, and to increase women’s participation in the labour force [4]. Contraceptive use and choices vary widely in Nigeria; while intrauterine contraceptive de- vice is the most widely use among the clients in the southwestern and north central Nigeria [5,6], progesto- gen only injectable contraceptive (POIC) is the most popular method among the southeastern clients [7]. Gen- erally contraceptive is either used for birth spacing, or for the purpose of terminal fertility control to limit the number of children [5]. While some clients make sterili- * Corresponding author. OPEN ACCESS